Traumatic Childbirth and Birth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study

Article Article scientifique Article Traumatic Childbirth and Birth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study eng 2022-10-31 2022-10-31 author Benzakour Lamyae 889158 author Gayet-Ageron Angèle 668551 author Jubin Maria 951328 author Suardi Francesca 529226 author Pallud Chloé 856991 author Lombard Fanny-Blanche 839732 author Quagliarini Beatrice 0000-0002-8884-9134 974624 author Epiney Emmanuela 0000-0002-8163-4536 850809 14246 10.3390/ijerph192114246 36361124 1660-4601 PMC9655079 https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14246 Background: Birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in 4.7% of mothers. No previous study focusing precisely on the stress factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding this important public mental health issue has been conducted. However, the stress load brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic could have influenced this risk. Methods: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of traumatic childbirth and birth-related PTSD and to analyze the risk and protective factors involved, including the risk factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a prospective cohort study of women who delivered at the University Hospitals of Geneva between 25 January 2021 and 10 March 2022 with an assessment within 3 days of delivery and a clinical interview at one month post-partum. Results: Among the 254 participants included, 35 (21.1%, 95% CI: 15.1-28.1%) experienced a traumatic childbirth and 15 (9.1%, 95% CI: 5.2-14.6%) developed a birth-related PTSD at one month post-partum according to DSM-5. Known risk factors of birth-related PTSD such as antenatal depression, previous traumatic events, neonatal complications, peritraumatic distress and peritraumatic dissociation were confirmed. Among the factors related to COVID-19, only limited access to prenatal care increased the risk of birth-related PTSD. Conclusions: This study highlights the challenges of early mental health screening during the maternity stay when seeking to provide an early intervention and reduce the risk of developing birth-related PTSD. We found a modest influence of stress factors directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic on this risk. COVID-19 Birth-related PTSD Traumatic childbirth Infant, Newborn Female Pregnancy Humans Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology COVID-19 / epidemiology Pandemics Prospective Studies Parturition / psychology Dewey 616.89 Dewey 613 Dewey 618 Hospital University of Geneva PRD21-I-20_CGR 71332 64 Département de santé et médecine communautaires 22A 217 Centre de recherche clinique 201 60 Département de psychiatrie 225 58 Département de pédiatrie, gynécologie et obstétrique 223 false 88 Epidémiologie clinique et biostatistique 115 International journal of environmental research and public health 19 21 9a906040-71b2-4648-a1da-5e932000af28 Article (Published version) Public Article-scientifique-from-unpaywall.pdf 584758 application/pdf CC BY-4.0 openAccess Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de santé et médecine communautaires Faculté de médecine / Centre de recherche clinique Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de psychiatrie Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de pédiatrie, gynécologie et obstétrique

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Traumatic Childbirth and Birth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study	International journal of environmental research and public health			2022	192	255

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Quagliarini, Beatrice